


Escape the Night: Origins of the Light-bearers

by Dede42



Series: Escape the Night Season 2 [14]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series)
Genre: History, Prophecy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25448173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dede42/pseuds/Dede42
Summary: James McCoy and the SAE are dealing with the aftermath of the Victorian Mansion, Joey's body is MIA, and Dawn has questions about the Light-bearers. Will those questions be answered?
Series: Escape the Night Season 2 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1481360
Comments: 20
Kudos: 3





	1. PROLOGUE: CHANGE OF PLANS

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Yup, this is another post-season story that I wrote to cover some stuff that happened after the events of season 2. Onward!

**PROLOGUE: CHANGE OF PLANS**

*****

In the study of the Society Against Evil safe house, James McCoy watched through the window as Dawn Hatcher, Andrea Russett, and Tyler Oakley were escorted to the car that would take them to the police station, where they would be reunited with their friends and families after being declared missing for three months. Like last time, Dawn paused to look back at the safe house for a long moment before getting into the car.

_‘She’s angry and upset that Joey is dead,’_ James thought, turning away only when the car was out of sight. Unlike last year, there were only three survivors, and also unlike last year, he knew that he would need to tell Dawn the truth about the Light she’d managed to summon twice, and start her training as the Light-bearer for what was to come. _‘Dawn has every right to feel angry, and I know that I need to do what I should’ve done last year. The council was right, and I was wrong.’_

He was pulled from his thoughts by a knock on the door to the study. “Enter,” he said, surprised when the First Elder entered the room. “Sir, I wasn’t expecting to see you here…in person.” And he was truly surprised since the Twelve Elders chose to live in a secured location, which was kept secret so that no one in the Society knew where it was, to ensure their safety, the safety of their families, and they rarely made in-person appearances until it was vital to a mission or an emergency.

“Given recent events,” said the First Elder, removing his hat and setting it on one of the tables, “the council decided that it was best that I make a personal visit, and give you our apology.”

“Apology?” James repeated, now feeling _really_ confused. “Sir, apology for what?”

“For not trusting your decision of not telling Dawn Hatcher the truth after the events of last year,” the First Elder responded, smiling slightly at the younger man’s surprised expression. “You were right in not telling her the truth, and we were wrong to try and insist. Allowing her to discover and summon the Light on her own, it has made it possible for her to become the strongest Light-bearer in many generations, and because of that, she is the one meant to fulfill the prophecy when the time is right.”

Of every possible reaction James could’ve gotten from the council, this hadn’t been it, and he actually had to sit down behind the desk. “So, the decision I made last year was the right one,” he realized and the First Elder nodded, pulling up a chair to sit on the other side of the desk. “I – I do intend to tell Dawn Hatcher the truth, but I’ll be waiting until some time after the funerals are over.”

“A wise decision,” the First Elder agreed and picked up one of the framed photos on the desk to look at it. “What of Joey Graceffa’s body? And the Crown of Oblivion?”

James sighed. “They’re both secured,” he reported. “And they’re being monitored, too. Are you sure that Joey Graceffa is also connected to the prophecy?”

“Yes,” said the First Elder, looking up from the framed photo. “Given recent events, he _is_ connected to both the prophecy and the Light-bearer.” He pulled a plastic tube out of his coat and handed it to the younger man. “Here, see for yourself.”

James accepted the tube, opened it, and carefully extracted an ancient-looking scroll, surprised that didn’t crumble in his hand. Setting it on the desk, he unrolled it, and his eyes widened when he saw what was on it. “The prophecy,” he whispered, looking up at the First Elder. “You’re giving this to me?”

“Yes, son,” said the First Elder, setting down the framed photo of James as a young boy with his parents, and he addressed his son further. “Although every member of the Society is instructed to reframe from becoming emotionally attached to those they are assigned to, James, that attachment is what has helped you make the choices that have been helpful instead of the other way around. Now, it’s up to you to keep the prophecy safe and show it to Ms. Hatcher when the time is right,” he added, standing up. “Good luck, son.”

James nodded and stood as well. “Thank you, father, I’ll do my best not to fail you or the council.”

“You won’t, son,” the First Elder assured his son while picking up his hat and left the study.

James sat back down, amazed at this twist of events presented to him by his own father, who’d been the First Elder for a number of decades now, and he looked down at the prophecy. _‘The prophecy that the Society had been keeping safe and preparing for,’_ he thought and read the contents to himself for the first time.

_When humanity has touched the stars and turmoil is strong._

_Two will be lured to a house built without hands by the evil._

_One will be an innocent while the other with be a Light-bearer._

_Neither will know of the evil or of the Light that she carries._

_Both will endure and survive the evil, along with two others._

_The innocent will be overcome by Darkness and taken away._

_The Light-bearer will search for the innocent and find him._

_Both will face the evil again, but only three will survive._

James stopped reading since the rest was still written in an ancient language that no one dared try to interpret or even translate as it was impossible, although there had been a few who had tried and had been driven mad as a result, and he sighed. _‘It’s really coming to pass,’_ he thought, rolling the scroll up and put it back in the plastic tube. _‘After all this time, the prophecy concerning the final battle against the Cursed God is_ finally _coming to pass.’_

Like the other members of the Society Against Evil, he had been raised, trained, and taught about the mission of the Society to fight the forces of the Cursed God, wherever and whenever they may be, and do so, even at the cost of their own lives. They had also been taught about the prophecy itself, which was normally seen only by the Elders, and the fact that his own father had given him the prophecy, it showed just how much things were changing.

*****

After securing away the prophecy, James left the study, went through the safe house, and he went down to the basement to a specific room. Entering it, he crossed until he reached the center of the room, where a certain brown coffin was located, and he gazed at it for a several minutes before looking at the two men standing guard. “Any change?”

“Not yet, sir.”

James nodded and looked back at the coffin that was currently the final resting place for Joey Graceffa. He hated the fact that he had had to lie to Dawn, Andrea, and Tyler about not finding the coffin in the mansion, and yet, it had to be done because of the prophecy. _‘If you’re really part of the prophecy, Joey, then you should be returning to us soon…I hope so for Dawn’s sake.’_

Nodding to the men again, he left to attend to other matters.


	2. CHAPTER ONE: THE LIGHT-BEARERS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's time for you to learn something about where the first Light-bearers came from and their connection to the SAE. Onward!

**CHAPTER ONE: THE LIGHT-BEARERS**

*****

In a distant land, and very long ago, the Society Against Evil was still fighting the war against the minions of the Cursed God, and despite the heavy losses, they were slowly winning and always searching for new ways to stop the evil from destroying their world. Throughout the centuries, they had obtained many skills and objects to help in the fight against evil, and also gained new members as well.

*****

Eventually word reached the Society about a village located in a valley that was being protected by some new kind of magic that was keeping the people alive, safe, and the evil at bay.

Intrigued by this news, the council decided to send a group of their members to find the village, and find out what they could about this new magic and whether those who used the magic would want to join the Society.

*****

After riding for several months, the group were soon following a trail through the mountains, which they had been told would lead them to the village, and they also were told was known as Osada Svetla, or the Village of Light.

No one knew what kind of magic that the village had, only that it was powerful enough to keep even the most evil of the dark creatures at bay, and there were stories of how the magic of the village could turn _any_ dark creature into nothingness.

*****

The group passed through a passage between two rock walls, and they stopped their horses as they gazed down in amazement at what was waiting for them: below them was a valley filled with all kinds of farming animals, deer, other animals that you normally didn’t see together, and in the center, built next to a river filled with clear crystal-like water and fish, was a spacious village.

“Sroel, this is amazing,” said one of the men to their leader. “There is no darkness here, no evil, and the air is so _clear._ ”

Sroel nodded. “Yes, it is,” he agreed. “Come, let’s see if we can get some answers to this intriguing puzzle.” And he started down the trail with his men following, taking in the beauty of the valley as they descended into it.

*****

When the group reached the valley floor, they continued following the trail, taking in the sights of farms, crops being harvested, and they were pleasantly surprised when the people would stop in their work to wave and say hello to them.

_‘They know that they are safe here,’_ Sroel thought. _‘They know that the evil of the Cursed God can’t reach them here because of the magic that protects this place.’_ He was curious of how such powerful magic could exist and do all of this, and why they had only heard about it a few months ago.

*****

The group reached the edge of the village, where they found a group of people waiting for them, and one of the men in the group stepped forward as the Society members reached them.

“Welcome to Osada Svetla,” said the man. “I am Zeke, the leader of the village. What brings you here?”

Sroel dismounted from his horse and bowed to Zeke before speaking. “I am Sroel, and we are here because we have heard that you have a unique magic that protects this valley from the evil of the Cursed God. And from what we have seen and sensed since entering this place, this magic is quite powerful.”

Zeke chuckled. “It isn’t magic in the traditional sense,” he informed them. “But, why explain here, when I can in my home? Come.” And he and his people lead the Society members into the village, where they left their horses in the care of the stable master, and as they walked through the village, they saw that the people there were very healthy and very prosperous.

*****

“Sirs,” said Zeke as he escorted them into a very large wooden house and gestured to a woman waiting by a large round table. “My wife, Basima. My love, we have guests, please let the children know right away.”

“Of course,” Basima agreed, smiling at the group. “Please, wash up and sit. I will be back shortly.” And she went up a flight of stairs to a different level of the house.

Sroel had rarely seen any building so tall outside of the large cities that had been built over the years, and he was impressed. “You must have a large family, Master Zeke,” he commented.

Zeke chuckled as he showed them where they could wash their hands and faces. “Indeed, I have been blessed,” he agreed. “I have six sons and six daughters, and they are all precious to me. Come and sit, please.”

*****

It wasn’t long before Basima returned with six young men and six young women, who Zeke introduced as his sons and daughters: like their parents, they all had dark hair, eyes that were either blue, brown, or green, or a mixture of both, and it was clear that there was an innocence and purity about them that was somehow connected to the magic that was protecting the valley.

The eldest son was named Baldur. The eldest daughter was named Frída. The second-eldest son was named Frey. The second-eldest daughter was named Ida. The third-eldest son was named Halldór. The third-eldest daughter was named Lára. The fourth-eldest son was named Njáll. The fourth-eldest daughter was named Jóhanna. The fifth-eldest son was named Sören. The fifth-eldest daughter was named Margrét. The sixth son was named Viggó, and the sixth daughter was named Unnur.

*****

“I take it that you all belong to the Society Against Evil?” Zeke inquired when the meal was mostly done, and he earned surprised looks from Sroel and his men. “We are familiar with your Society, even here in our valley, for your fight against the Ancient Ones, particularly the Cursed God, is well-known, and I knew that you would eventually learn of our village, coming to see for yourself how we have protected it from the evil.”

Sroel eventually found his voice and nodded. “Yes, we are,” he confirmed, surprised that Zeke had figured it out when they hadn’t been wearing the symbol of the Society on their clothing in order not to draw too much attention to themselves, and alert the evil of what they were doing. “And you are right, we have come to see how it is that your village, this whole valley, is so green despite the evil minions of the Cursed God. It’s amazing, and unheard of.”

Zeke chuckled. “Yes it is,” he agreed. “As I said, how this place is protected is not magic, but something else altogether. It’s-” He stopped speaking when a loud horn echoed through the valley, followed by a second loud horn blast. “Trouble,” he said, standing up, and so did the other people at the table. “My children, it’s time.”

His sons and daughters all nodded, getting up and headed for the door. They all ran outside, where one could hear the villagers running around, children crying, and more horn blasts. Zeke turned to his guests, who were looking grim and eager to retrieve their weapons. “It seems, you all will see first hand how we defend ourselves. Come, and bring your weapons, although you will not need them.”

*****

They all ran outside, Zeke leading them to the center of the village, and in the distance, they could what looked like dark clouds forming just behind the mountains, but the Society Against Evil knew that it wasn’t clouds. It was the Dark Fliers of the Cursed God! When they reached the center of the village, they stopped and saw that the six young men and the six young women were already there, standing in a circle so that they were facing each other, and standing boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl, and they were holding each others’ hands.

“What are they doing?” Sroel asked as the siblings held hands and shut their eyes.

“Just watch.”

The whole village had gathered, with the exception of the children that had been hidden away, and they were all watching the twelve. At first, there was nothing, and then the twelve began glowing with a white light that was steadily growing bigger and brighter with every second that passed. An unseen wind starting up, swirling the dust of the ground into small dust devils. In the distance, there was a shriek from the Dark Fliers as they rose above the mountaintops in a massive wave that was blocking out the sun and turning the sky black, and then they dove for the valley.

Somehow sensing this, the twelve opened their eyes, which were now glowing with the same white light, and threw their heads back with a shout. Suddenly, the Light shot upward as a huge orb, and when it was high above the village, it exploded! Those on the ground shielded their eyes and watched as a shockwave of Light and sound spread through the sky, colliding with the Dark Fliers, which screamed as they were vaporized, and all of the Darkness was purged away.

When the Light and sound disappeared, the sky was blue once again, the sun was shining, and the twelve were no longer glowing or holding hands. They were all smiling, tiredly, but smiling all the same.

Sroel was lost for words, and he knew that what he had seen and felt wasn’t magic. What it was, it was something pure, something good, and it was the _complete_ opposite of the Ancient Ones. “Your children have been blessed by the One True God,” he said, finally finding his voice and looking at Zeke. “They carry the power of God within them, do they not?”

Zeke nodded, both proud and sad at the same time. “Yes, yes they do,” he confirmed. “I do not question why they were chosen to bear this burden, but it is their to bear. And I also know that this village will be leaving this valley to travel with you to the city that the Society Against Evil is based in currently.”

Sroel blinked, not having expected this. “You are all going to leave this beautiful place?” he asked, surprised. “But the valley…”

“Has served its’ purpose,” Zeke interrupted. “Long ago, one of the prophets passed through here when my wife was due to give birth to our first child, and she was very ill, having been injured by one of the Dark Creatures. He blessed and healed her with the promise that we would have many children, and that they would be given a great power and mission by the Lord. The Light inside my sons and daughters is meant to help the world, not just this valley or this village. This is their mission, and that mission will be passed down to their own children, and their children’s children, until the Cursed God and the other Ancient Ones have been truly defeated.”

“That is why you were not surprised to see us,” said Sroel, hearing the truth in the man’s words. When a Prophet of God spoke such words, it was known that they would come true, and usually in unexpected ways. “You knew that this day would come, and that we would be here to witness the power of the Light. The power of the Light-bearers.” _‘Yes, what is what the Twelve will be called from this day forth,’_ he thought. _‘Light-bearers. Bearers of the Light of God.’_

Zeke nodded gravely. “Yes, yes I did.” He then turned to his people and spoke to them. “My people, the day when we leave the village and the valley to travel is upon us,” he announced. “Come, gather up your belongings, the herd animals, and supplies that you have been storing away for this day. It is time.”

No one in the village protested, for they had all been preparing for this day, and they all headed for their homes, the farms, and the storage buildings to began preparations to leave the village and the valley forever.

*****

From that day forth, the Society Against Evil and the Light-bearers fought side-by-side against the evil and the minions of the Cursed God throughout the centuries, and the Light was passed down from generation to generation of the original twelve Light-bearers.

The Society watched over and safeguarded the twelve bloodlines, teaching and training the Light-bearers of each generation, and eventually letting the Light-bearers discover and summon the Light on their own, enabling them to grow that much stronger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit it, I had a bit too much fun when I came up with the idea for the Light-bearers. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	3. CHAPTER TWO: A LIFE RETURNED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's time to see what's going on with the SAE. Onward!

**CHAPTER TWO: A LIFE RETURNED**

*****

It’d been several weeks since James had shared the prophecy with Dawn, who had agreed to start training in using her powers as a Light-bearer, and in that time, he had been doing the promised research concerning the possible third mission that would require surviving another _long_ night against another minion of the Cursed God.

He had also been keeping tabs on the newspaper reporter and blogger, Jermaine Whitehouse, who was becoming increasingly stubborn in finding out what _really_ had happen last year at the 1920s house and more recently, at the Victorian mansion. He, the other leaders, and the council of Elders were becoming concerned since if he continued, he could end up causing _a lot_ of trouble for the Society, for Dawn, and for when Joey eventually would return to life.

*****

One day, James was in the study and he had narrowed down the possible locations, all of which were locked in time for different reasons, and was researching each of them by way of both the internet and the Society’s extensive archives, when there was a frantic knock on the study door. “Enter.”

A man ran inside with a frantic expression on his face. “Sir, it’s happening! In the basement!”

Realizing what he meant, James dropped the pen he’d been using, jumped up from his seat, ran around the desk, and they both dashed out of the study. The day they had been waiting for was upon them, and there was no time to waste!

*****

In the room of the basement, James found Dr. Caroline Green waiting with her medical team, along with a number of security guards, and they were all watching the coffin expectantly. He reached the doctor’s side and nodded at the coffin. “Is he…?”

“Not yet,” Dr. Green answered, her eyes fixed on the coffin. “But it should be soon. The guards alerted me the moment they sensed the change in the air. The power of the Crown of Oblivion has been steadily growing, and it should be very soon.”

James nodded, also staring at the coffin that had been the resting place for Joey Graceffa for the past month, and he was both hoping and dreading that when the boy came back to life, he would recover quickly to help the Light-bearer for the mission to come. _‘Every day, the prophecy is coming true,’_ he thought, sensing the same magical buildup coming from the coffin. _‘Every day, we come closer to the final battle against the Cursed God. A battle that the Society Against Evil has been preparing for, for a_ very _long time.’_

He was pulled from his thoughts when a magical jolt shot through the room, coming from the coffin, and everyone felt it, making their hair feel like it was standing on end. This lasted for several hour-long seconds before it disappeared just as quickly, and they all looked at the coffin. Had it worked? Did the Crown of Oblivion bring him back?

At first, there was nothing, and then they heard frantic banging on the lid of the coffin as the person inside struggled to open it with a cry of help, and then it flew open to reveal Joey, who was very much alive, and had a shocked expression on his face as he sat up, gasping and panting.

“Get him out of there now,” James ordered and both the security guards and the medical team hurried forward with Dr. Green, helping the shell-shocked young man out of the coffin, and onto a nearby stretcher while the Crown of Oblivion was removed from his head by one of the security guards and placed in a special box. He went to the stretcher, where Joey was now lying down, panting with wide eyes and clutching the side of the stretcher with his right hand while his left hand was balled in a fist, but there was blood leaking from it.

“Joey,” he said with a calming voice and the young man looked at him. “Breath, breath, you’re back and you’re going to be fine. Just breath and relax.” He was relieved when Joey listened to him and he started to calm down and released his grip on the stretcher, but he knew that it was going to take time for the young man to recover from his experience of being dead, and he would have to question him about where he’d ended up when it was the right time.

James stepped aside as Dr. Green ordered her team to get Joey up to the infirmary so that she could treat him there, and he turned back to the still-open coffin once they were out of the room.

Going over to it, he peered inside and founded a folded piece of parchment. Reaching inside, he retrieved the parchment and unfolded it. He sighed when he recognized the name on the top as one of the locations he’d been researching, and saw that it had been signed in blood.

_‘They_ would _be going_ there _,’_ he thought, folding up the parchment and taking it with him while the remaining security men went to dispose of the coffin since it was no longer needed. _‘They will feel like pawns in the war against the Cursed God, but at least this time, they will know what they are getting themselves into.’_

*****

It would be two weeks before James had a chance to talk with Joey, who’d been under the watchful and mothering care of Dr. Green, and in that time, he had been doing more research on the location that the mission would take place.

He had also been overseeing Dawn’s training, not letting her know that her best friend was back from the dead.

James hated keeping that from her, but he knew that it was not yet time, and he also knew that she couldn’t be distracted as she moved forward with her own life of being both the Light-bearer and an actress at the same time.

He was pleased that her training was going well, along with what he was teaching her, and he had figured out how to make it work with her Autism.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Joey's back from the dead! Yay! Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	4. CHAPTER THREE: CONVERSATION

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Hey all, it's time to see how things are going with the SAE and Joey back from being mostly dead. Onward!

**CHAPTER THREE: CONVERSATION**

*****

One day, James was sipping tea in the study of the latest safe house that they had all moved to recently, and he looked up from the book he was reading when there was a knock on the door. “Enter,” he said and smiled, standing up when Joey entered the study, looking more normal in regular clothes, except that his hair was still brown and curly. “Joey, good to see that Dr. Green has finally let you out of the infirmary. Or did you sneak out behind her back?”

Joey actually smiled and shook his head. “No, she let me out, Mr. McCoy,” he said. “But only on the condition that I don’t overdo it.”

James chuckled and gestured to the chair across from his. “Of course she did, come sit,” he requested and poured some tea for Joey, who raised his eyebrows at this, while he sat in the offered chair. “Yes, yes, even though I’m an American, I drink tea like the British do, Dawn has already given me grief about that. Here.”

Joey snickered and accepted the cup, unsurprised to hear that his best friend would bring that up, and he knew that she did drink tea, but not normally the strong type preferred by the British. He wasn’t a big tea drinker himself, but since learning that the Society Against Evil wasn’t keen on coffee, he figured it was best to go along with it, especially after everything that’d happen.

James resumed his seat, smiling slightly when the young man coughed a little from the strong tea. “Joey, I’m sure that you have a lot of questions,” he said and when Joey nodded, he sighed. “You might think that I’m pulling an Gandalf, as Dawn would say, but I won’t be able to answer all of your questions right away, and that includes when you can get back to your normal life.”

Joey sighed and set the cup down on its’ plate. “I know that I can’t go back to my life just yet,” he said, recalling some of what he’d gone through while in limbo, or the World Between Worlds, and the contract he’d signed in order to return to life…to an extent. “But what I really want to know is when can I see Dawn?” he asked. “She thinks I’m dead and I hate to imagine what that’s doing to her.”

“I know, Joey,” James agreed. “These past months have been hard on Dawn, but she’s been managing to keep herself together, given herself time to heal, and has been growing stronger as the Light-bearer.” He was pleased when a relieved expression crossed the face of the young man. “And she knows that you and she will be reunited one day, too,” he added, earning a surprised look.

“She does?” Joey asked, taken aback by this revelation. “How does Dawn know that? Even I didn’t expect to come back from the dead until I ended up in the World Between Worlds and was given the chance to return…once I fulfill the mission I agreed to.” And he hadn’t expected to come back to life, period.

James picked up a certain scroll and handed it to the young man. “Here, read this, and it might help you understand,” he suggested, picking up his cup and sipping his tea while Joey opened and read the contents…at least the parts that were readable. “That is an ancient prophecy, and Dawn has read the readable parts, too,” he added when Joey’s eyes widened with shock. “The Society has been preparing for the day when the prophecy would come to pass, and we were all quite surprised when we learned that both you and Dawn were connected to it.”

Joey didn’t know what was more shocking, that he and his best friend were connected to a prophecy, or that this information had been kept from him until now. “How long have you known about this?” he demanded, putting the scroll down to keep from crushing it in anger. “How _long?!_ ”

“The Society has known about the prophecy for a long time,” James answered, keeping his tone calm, having expected the angry reaction from the young man. “As for you and Dawn being connected to the prophecy, it was only after the incident with the Sorceress that it became clear.” He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “You see, Joey, last year, the council wanted me to tell Dawn the truth about her being the Light-bearer and start her training right away. However, I wanted her to have time to recover and heal, for I believed what happen at the 1920s house was a one-time event with no connection to the prophecy itself. But, recent events revealed that I was wrong, and I am sorry that you had to go through that again.”

Joey wasn’t really sure of what to make of this, but as he considered the older man’s words, he began to realize that it wasn’t entirely the fault of the Society itself, and that there were other forces at work that had lead to both incidents. “I get it, James,” he said slowly, letting go of the anger and referred to the man by his first name for the first time. “Tough calls had to be made, and you have the right to not reveal everything right away, since it would be too much to take in.” He sighed and slumped back in the chair, running a hand over his face. “Still, I wish that I didn’t have to include Dawn in what’s to come.”

James nodded, straightening up in his own chair. “I understand completely,” he agreed. “But, it has to happen, and” he picked up the folded contract and placed it on the table between them “we need to talk about what happen when you were in the World Between Worlds, which I know is where you got this contract from.”

Joey made a face at the contract that’d he signed with his own blood in order to come back. “I’ll tell you what I can remember, but a lot of it is still hazy.”

“Completely understandable.”

*****

After going over what Joey could remember during the time that he was dead and in Limbo, or the World Between Worlds, James revealed that the location mentioned in the contract was one of several locations he’d been researching in reference to the prophecy, and it was around this time that Dr. Green entered the study and insisted that Joey be set up in one of the guest rooms so that he could continue recovering.

James chuckled when Joey protested, sounding more like a small boy instead of a young adult. “There’s no use arguing with her, Joey,” he pointed out. “Remember, she’s a mom as well as a doctor, and more then once she has had to drag me into the infirmary for checkups and such by my ear.” And he rubbed said ear as if it was still sore.

Joey snickered and then laughed at the image of the older man being dragged, protesting like a kid or even Richard Castle from the TV show _Castle_ , into the infirmary by his ear, and he agreed to go with Dr. Green.

Once they were gone, James picked up the contract and folded it once more. There was a lot to do in preparations for the mission to come, and not a lot of time to do it in.

To Be Continued…

*****

_I have so many, so many regrets._

_So many lies, so many broken ties._

_I wish for my old life._

_Wish I could fix my strike._

_Cause no one truly escapes the night._

_Oh, won't you help me escape the night._

_Oh baby help me escape the night._

_Escape the night._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At least when it comes time for the next trip into Hell, both Joey and Dawn will have a better idea of what they'll be going up against once they're reunited. Bye for now! R&R everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Hmm, I wonder why the SAE have Joey's body in that room? Share with me your theories. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


End file.
